Toast, Teens & Tiny Wonders
Things You'll Love (v. 35)
Hi, I’m Monica. Things You’ll Love is where I share what I’m collecting: books, music, recipes, slow rituals, and minor wonders. Think of it as my kitchen table. You’re always welcome here.
Hey everyone!
Sometimes when I put these together, they're themed, and other times, not as much so, even though each curation is deliberate.
This week's issue highlights a number of things I've found helpful over the past 6 months or so, plus some delightful seasonal items.
The weather here this morning is absolutely perfect and I want to get outside and love up on it some — about 70 F / 21 C — so I'll keep this short.
˜ With love and delight, Monica
Something to watch
If you haven’t seen Kubo and the Two Strings, you should. The movie came out in 2016, and I first saw it a few years back. The protagonist, Kubo, has only one eye, as his left one was stolen when he was an infant. Kubo cares for himself and his mother by playing his magical shamisen, which is a Japanese stringed instrument. When he plays, origami comes to life.
Kubo and his come-to-life wooden Monkey charm go off in search of his father’s armor. Along the way, they face many strong enemies. The film is stop-motion animated and just delightful all around.
Something to cook
I found this amazing Summer Toast Recipes article on Instagram, originally.
(photo from Jessie Daye’s website)
I mean, look at those. Don’t they scream summer? I think the fresh fruit is what does it the most for me. Immediately I had to share it with a friend who LOVES hot honey (the peach and burrata one). And, I’m excited to try out the brie and blackberry/cherry one. Prep time at most is under 15 minutes, and IMO, they look super luscious and extravagant, even if they’re quick to prep.
Plus, they’re beautiful. And couldn’t we all use a bit more beauty in our lives?
If you try any of them out, let us know in the comments which was your favorite!
Something to listen to
If you, like me, are of a <cough> certain age, then you may have fond memories of Reading Rainbow, Levar Burton, and the OG theme song—
We know that music is tied to memories and full sensation memories, at that. What a delight then, to stumble onto this clip, a few months back, on Instagram. It's not often that singers of theme songs get the recognition they deserve — let alone people knowing their name.
Something to help you relax
Do you know about Pandora (for music streaming)?
Well, here’s a Pandora Station that I’ve curated for about 10 years. There’s a lot of soundtrack music of the Last of the Mohicans and Outlander variety, so if you enjoy soundtrack music, especially by Bear McCreary, you’ll probably like this. I love Pandora and have used it since 2012 — just the free version, with timeouts, etc.
Do they track my algorithmic data? Maybe. I’m not sure. But, it feels the closest I can get to actual radio without radio. And recently I’ve been craving more and more analog devices, even as I use digital tools like Canva and Claude.
Something for your teens, tweens, kids, and any young ones in your life.
Okay, so each parent / relative/ auntie will have to decide for themselves at what age to share these books with the teenagers (or tweens) in their life. Of course, if you’re not the parent, check it out with the parent first before sharing these books with said tween or teen.
A friend recommended this series to me for the foster kid who’s living with me, and they actually were taking the books and reading them(!) in their room. Lots.
The series is co-written by **Yumi Stynes and Dr. Melissa Kang and has fantastic illustrations that are not (too) cringe.**
Welcome to your Boobs
Welcome to your Period
Welcome to Consent
Welcome to Sex!
Something I’m Exploring
As I continue to dive into foster parenting and all that entails for me, one thing that’s really stood out is Jill Clifton‘s work on the Inner Mothers. So I’m very much looking forward to her free workshop next week, Orienting to the Inner Mother.
I'd done Inner Mother work previously, but so much more is coming up for me these days as my experiences broaden into a new area of life in parenting as a 40 something, rather than the parenting I did as a child with my siblings or parents.
That's all from me for this week! Let us know in the comments what you liked best from the smorgasbord.
˜M
If this little collection of things brought you a moment of joy, consider subscribing — free or paid. Paid support helps me keep this table set and the pantry stocked. Either way, I’m glad you’re here.